“What is this thing for?”: 30 times when netizens clarified the situation (31 photos)

Nowadays, information is always at our fingertips, and it seems that you can find anything on the Internet. But even search engines can’t handle some things—for example, if you need to identify a strange object. There were many such cases! Only knowledgeable network users can help. In a community on the Reddit forum, users help each other determine what the thing is in front of them and what it is for. Let's take a look at some interesting examples!





1. "I saw this on a pole near the road. What is this thing for?"



Answer: "They reflect car headlights onto fields to prevent deer from crossing the road while a car is driving. This is for the safety of both cars and animals."

2. “I found this strange blue circle in a bag of chips. What is it, who knows?”





"This is a test chip (or test object). With their help, manufacturers check how effectively metal detectors work in production. The chips are placed in a product or product, and they see how sensitive the detectors are to detecting foreign objects. Such things that simulate a foreign object are not must pass through it. Perhaps they had a faulty metal detector."

3. "What are these strange things near the hospital?"



“These are emergency showers. Designed for emergency rinsing of toxic substances from a worker’s body and clothing. The duration of such a shower should be 15 full minutes.”

4. "What's the point of this thing?"



"It's essentially a 'condom' for USB charging. Through it, you can plug your phone into any USB port and be sure that there will be no data exchange."

5. “I found it on the side of the road. I thought it was a brain, but it’s not. It has a lot of small lobes and fibers. What is it?”



"Dog poop. Someone's dog ate a lot of paper towels. They can't digest it."

6. "Poles with nets in the Netherlands. What are they for?"



"They help the bats navigate until the trees grow. These things replace the leaves that are important for their flight. The trees along this road may have recently been cut down."

7. "Found this while hiking off-road in Bosnia. There are spikes on the end. What are they?"



"Don't go hiking in Bosnia unless you know where you're going. It's full of unmarked minefields."

8. “There is a sensor in the house that lights up when the lights are turned on in the basement. What is it for?”



"Nothing magical. It really just shows if the lights are on in the basement."

9. “The camera near the house captured a guy who came with a huge device and was scanning something. What did he want?”



"This is most likely a car thief looking for your car's keyless entry system. Never leave your keys near windows or doors."

10. “Found this unusual shell on the beach.”



"These are the teeth of a stingray."

11. Iron cones on both sides of the gate in front of a building in Bath, England



"This is to put out the torch."

12. “My cleaning lady found this under the dresser. What is it?”



"A voice recorder. But it doesn't transmit anything wirelessly, so whoever left it will probably come back for it."

13. “Saw it in the garden. Is it a type of worm? Or is it a parasite? It was breathing and moving.”



"It's the two worms that make babies."

14. “I noticed it on the taxi driver’s finger. I kept clicking with this thing.”



"This is a counter that is used during prayer. Prayer involves repeating a phrase a certain number of times. Rosary beads are traditionally used for this."

15. "I found it on the beach. Is it a tooth?"



"Yes, a broken megalodon shark tooth."

16. "Found it in the medical examination room. A string with plastic numbered beads on it. Even my doctor doesn't know what it's for."



"Orchidometer. Used to assess testicular volume."

17. “My parents were landscaping in the backyard when they found this strange slab. The months are written on it, and the year is 1827.”



"This is a fragment of a tombstone. Whoever carved tombstones practiced engraving inscriptions and drawings."

18. “I saw this car, covered with a strange material. Even the headlights are covered. What does this mean?”



“This protection hides the car during a test drive so that no one can see it. Models that have not yet been released are not photographed or published anywhere.”

19. “I found a white fluffy thing in the basement, mom is shocked. What is it?”



"A spider infected with a fungus."

20. “Why are there such long armrests on this chair?”



"It appears to be a farmer's or planter's lounge chair. After a day on horseback, farmers could rest their tired legs on these arms."

21. "Found this structure while walking through the woods. I'm guessing it's a well, a sewer, or a time capsule."



"This is a sewer hatch. Don't open it! They have a low percentage of oxygen and a high concentration of poisonous gases."

22. "What's that indentation on the milk bottle?"



"It's to relieve pressure. If you drop it, the bottle won't explode - that indentation will take the impact."

23. “I found this metal object, without any inscriptions or numbers. It folds out to the size of a bracelet. What could it be?”



“This is the top (clasp) of a purse or small handbag.”

24. “What is that hollow part in the nightstand for?”



"It's not a nightstand. It's a telephone table with space to store your phone book."

25. "Grandma got this from her friend after he died. No one at the senior center where she lives knows what it is."



"Opium Pipe"

26. "Found a rock on the porch of my new house, turned it over and saw this. Is it a fossil?"



"Yes, it's a fossil. An imprint of a tree trunk."

27. "This belonged to my great-grandfather. What kind of instrument is this?"



"If it's real, it's a very old Gibson guitar made between 1903 and 1933. It's worth more than you think - so be careful with it!"

28. "Help me understand what they are and what they were used for"



“This is the final work of the student, who after it received the qualification of a master engraver.”

29. "Glass coasters that were sold at a garage sale. What are they for?"



"These are knife holders."

30. “I saw it in the forest today. What kind of phenomenon is this?”



“This is frozen moisture that has come out of the plant tissue.”